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In the Midland region of the Permian Basin, the average length of laterals, the horizontal portion of a well, has increased by 58% since 2015. More than 50% of Midland wells completed in 2025 have spanned over 10,500 ft (2 miles) laterally, with the longest reaching 21,276 ft (4 miles), according to Rystad. Advances in technology have enabled producers to drill longer laterals, which can help improve well productivity and capital efficiency. Lateral lengths can vary within and across shale basins. The optimal well design can be influenced by many factors, including geology, other well spacings, and whether a company holds contiguous leases.
At 151,000 b/d in July 2025, crude oil production in Ohio is three times as large as it was in the middle of 2021 and is at an all-time high in data back to 1981, according to EIA’s Petroleum Supply Monthly. Production areas in Ohio come from the Utica and Marcellus shale, which also extend into Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia. These formations are a significant source of U.S. natural gas production. In recent years, exploration and production companies have successfully drilled for crude oil and condensate in counties in Eastern Ohio.
U.S. West Coast petroleum product demand is primarily met by local refineries or through imports, due to limited pipeline and rail connectivity to other U.S. regions. The region currently imports around 15%–20% of its jet fuel, but this could rise as two additional refineries are expected to close in California in the next year. Meanwhile, other U.S. regions rely on jet fuel imports for only 0–5% of demand. Most of PADD 5 jet fuel imports (85%) come from South Korea, which operates competitive refineries geared for exporting petroleum products.
Electricity demand in Virginia has increased by 21% over the past decade, significantly outpacing the U.S. average growth of 5% during the same period. Virginia has nearly 600 data centers, the highest concentration anywhere in the world. Rapid expansion of data centers has contributed to Virginia’s growing electricity consumption. Virginia now ranks ninth highest among the states in terms of electricity demand, surpassing Illinois in 2023 for the first time since at least 1960. The commercial sector, including data centers, now accounts for 54% of Virginia’s electricity sales, the highest share of any state and up from 43% in 2014.
The U.S. has historically been an importer of Nigerian crude oil, with monthly flows regularly reaching 1 million barrels per day in 2010. Imports have declined over the past 15 years as U.S. domestic production increased and Nigeria’s production fell. Now the ramp-up of Nigeria’s Dangote refinery (650 kb/d capacity) – the largest in Africa – is reshaping trade flows across the Atlantic. The U.S. has been a net exporter of crude oil to Nigeria in four of the past six months, with gross exports surpassing 300 kb/d in June. These record flows made Nigeria the 4th largest destination for U.S. crude in June. At the same time, press reports indicate the U.S. imported gasoline from the Dangote refinery for the first time in September.
Crude oil production from a new Midland Permian well peaks at ~730 barrels per day (b/d) in the first full month of production and falls by >70% to ~200 b/d by the end of year one, according to Rystad data. This is a much steeper decline than seen in conventional wells, where production ramps up more slowly and plateaus before declining. On average, a shale well will produce ~80% of its total output within the first two years, while conventional wells typically only produce 10% of their total production over the same period. This steep decline curve indicates that consistent investment and development are needed to maintain or increase production. If all new drilling in shale basins were to stop, crude oil production could decline rapidly. For example, according to Rystad data, if all new drilling in the Permian were to stop at the end of 2025, production in the basin could decline by 2.2 mb/d (37%) by the end of 2026 and by 3.6 mb/d (60%) by the end of 2028.
The U.S. exports natural gas to Mexico via pipeline. The volumes exported reached a record 7.3 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in June. Meanwhile, Mexico’s domestic natural gas production in 1H25 was down 27% compared with 1H24 and reached a >20-year low. U.S. natural gas currently meets ~75% of Mexico’s natural gas demand, up from 39% in 2015. Mexico uses natural gas to generate >60% of its electricity. So far in 2025, 28% of U.S. natural gas exports have gone to Mexico. It is only recently that U.S. LNG export volumes to the EU have surpassed pipeline exports to Mexico.
The U.S. exported more than 880 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day of oil and natural gas to India in June, a 17% year-over-year increase. This included record levels of NGL and petroleum product exports, driven by ethane, propane, butane, and petroleum coke.
The U.S. began exporting LNG from the Lower 48 states in 2016 and became the world’s largest LNG exporter within seven years. According to the U.S. EIA and press reports, U.S. LNG export nameplate capacity could grow by a further ~85% by late-2029 to ~30 bcf/d with the addition of projects that have reached final investment decision (FID).
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